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Michigan Medicaid enrollment hits halfway point, six weeks into drive

Medicaid enrollment under the Healthy Michigan Plan is already halfway toward its goal of signing up 458,790 uninsured people who are thought to be eligible this year, said the state Department of Community Health.

So far, 237,329 people have enrolled in Medicaid since April 1, when the state’s Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act began.

In Southeast Michigan, 108,192 people have enrolled in Medicaid and are in the process of selecting health plans and physicians. Wayne County leads all counties with 66,512 people enrolled, followed by Macomb at 17,467, Oakland at 16,748, Washtenaw at 5,547 and Livingston at 1,918.

The enrollment is good news for hospitals that have seen their uncompensated care rise by more than 20 percent over the last several years and helped to dampen bottom lines. Uncompensated care includes bad debt and charity care.

"Oakwood will now be receiving a payment below cost for providing services that previously were not paid at all," said Bob Plaskey, corporate director of reimbursement for Oakwood Healthcare Inc. "We are working very hard at screening every single patient without insurance and working to find them coverage and we have been actively applying every person that qualifies to Medicaid through the online system."

The jury is still out as far as whether Medicaid HMOs will have enough physicians and other providers to cover the increase in Medicaid enrollees. Several Medicaid health plan executives have told Crain’s they have a large enough provider network to handle early demand.

"It is only six weeks out from the opening of Healthy Michigan but we are thrilled," said Conrad Mallett, chief administrative officer of the Detroit Medical Center. "This bodes well for the city of Detroit and all the health care partners are working diligently on this effort together. Although it is early to tell, we can project the health status of the city to improve in the next 3-4 years and for the increase in Medicaid enrollment to have a positive impact."

Statewide, Genesee County ranks No. 1 in terms of enrollment percentage — with 83 percent of the estimated eligible enrolled, or 16,000 people, the state data shows. Wayne County has enrolled 56 percent of those eligible.

Don Hazaert, executive director of Michigan Consumers for Healthcare, said Enroll Michigan’s network of certified enrollment assisters have been helping people enroll in Healthy Michigan.

He said Michigan Consumers is working with the city of Detroit to offer a training seminar May 21 at Cobo Center in Detroit. Speakers from Community Health, Michigan Primary Care Association and other organizations will demonstrate additional skills to help people enroll.